Activities such as walking, hiking, running, golfing and water sports are typically associated with specialized footwear. For example, conventional running and walking shoes typically have cushioned and flexible soles to promote a natural gait while hiking shoes have stiffer soles to protect against sharp rocks and other objects typically encountered on the trail. Some activity-specific footwear includes features such as soles and uppers that facilitate walking on submerged surfaces (e.g., during kayaking, rafting, beach combing, etc.) and outsoles that provide traction on grass or mud or other slick surfaces (e.g., soccer and golf shoes).
Along with performance features such as those described above, some shoes provide compatibility with customized after-market insoles. These insoles are used to help customize a shoe to provide a better fit or to accommodate wearers that have, for example, flat feet or high arches.
Because of their open nature, conventional sandals, while somewhat versatile within a range of casual uses, neither offer high performance features for sports nor compatibility with customized orthotic insoles. Specialized sandals that do offer specialized performance features are typically geared toward a single sport or activity, which can make them undesirable for other uses. Likewise, sandals that accommodate insoles are primarily limited to casual use (e.g., standing and light walking).